| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.85 |
| Liaison | Stephen Ellis |
| Submission Date | Oct. 7, 2021 |
Boston University
AC-6: Sustainability Literacy Assessment
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 4.00 |
Stephen
Ellis Director, Data Analytics BU Sustainability |
Does the institution conduct an assessment of the sustainability literacy of its students?:
Which of the following best describes the literacy assessment? The assessment is administered to::
Which of the following best describes the structure of the assessment? The assessment is administered as a::
A copy of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment(s):
A list or sample of the questions included in the sustainability literacy assessment or the website URL where the assessment tool may be found:
See 'Sustainability Survey 2020' pages 11-15.
A brief description of how the literacy assessment was developed and/or when it was adopted:
The survey was designed to gauge progress on sustainability awareness at Boston University. Having information about the community's understanding and activities regarding sustainability helps BU Sustainability plan future efforts, programs and communications initiatives. Consistent with the guidelines of STARS, the survey was conceived to contain questions on general sustainability literacy. 1/3 of survey questions relate to literacy, 1/3 of questions are BU-specific, and 1/3 are behavioral.
A brief description of how a representative sample was reached (if applicable) and how the assessment(s) were administered :
The sustainability survey is conducted online early in the spring term each year.FY2020's survey was sent out via email in January to all Boston University undergraduate students, graduate students, staff and faculty. Out of the total questions, 33% of questions were related to literacy, 33% of questions were BU-specific, and 33% were behavioral. Students, as well as staff and faculty members who responded to it constitute the representative sample and reflect the general proportions of the BU community as a whole.
A brief summary of results from the literacy assessment(s):
Out of the 2,542 total survey respondents:
1) What is the leading driver of deforestation in the world?
- 40% of respondents chose the correct answer.(Agriculture)
2) In 2018, the total plastic bottle recycling rate in the United States was...?
- 30% of respondents chose the correct answer.(29%)
3) Which of the following is the best example of environmental justice?
- 62% of respondents chose the correct answer. (All stakeholders from an indigenous community are involved in setting a quota for the amount of wood they can take from a protected forest next to their village)
4) Which of the following will be worsened by climate change? Select all that apply.
- 58% of respondents chose the correct answer. (2ºC)
5) According to the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), over 99% of all marine life will be lost if the earth warms to ___ above pre-industrial levels.
- 34% of respondents chose the correct answer. ($1,600)
6) What is the average annual cost of food waste for an American four-person household?
- 38% of respondents chose the correct answer.
(Food shortages
Respiratory problems in humans
Vector-borne diseases, such as West-Nile Virus
Heat waves
More Intense Storms
Tree die-offs)
Website URL where information about the sustainability literacy assessment is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
This represents FY2020 BU Metrics.
This represents FY2020 BU Metrics.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.